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February 11, 2024

 

Dear White Oak Families, 

 

Tomorrow is our 100th Day of School! This is a special day in Kindergarten, but we celebrate across the school. Thank you for reading through our weekly newsletter!

 

 


"Love the Bus" Week

 

School bus drivers across WCPSS & North Carolina will enjoy well-earned attention during School Bus Driver Appreciation Week from February 12-16. Nationally, February is Love the Bus month, aimed to raise awareness and appreciation for the safe experience of riding the bus to and from school.
 
At White Oak, almost 80% of our students will use the bus at some point each week, and they are in good hands. Unlike other WCPSS schools, we do not face bus route cancelations or students waiting at school for routes that pick up after 4:30 each day. Overall, our bus drivers are consistent and reliable. 
 
If you would like to share a treat with your bus driver, feel free to check out this favorites list. Our PTA is also helping us share our appreciation with a special breakfast on Wednesday.
 

 


Stories from Specialists

 

AIG with Ms. Joyce

 

3rd Grade Explorers 

Third grade CogAT and IOWA test score reports have been sent home with all participating students.

All identification paperwork will be completed and submitted to Central Office by the end of the 3rd quarter.  Service decisions will be finalized at that time, and notification paperwork will be sent home once the Central Office staff has signed off on the decisions.  Third grade AIG classes will begin once this process is complete.

Explorers classes in reading and math continued in January, and will be ending at the beginning of February.  Our theme is Perspective.

  • Reading: In reading, we studied poetry with Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky”, and we discussed the poetic devices of rhyme, nonsense words, sensory description, humor, and imagery.  We then explored sensory details in creating detailed, high-level sentences, sentence structure, and shifting perspective as we read White is for Blueberry.  We analyzed color poems and sensory details from Hailstones and Halibut Bones.  Each student is combining all skills and creativity to make an original color poem with sensory details and high-level, descriptive vocabulary.  We are using www.thesaurus.com as a tool to find specific, descriptive words.

 

Fourth Grade AIG and Talent Development

  • Math: Students engaged in multistep problem-solving with multi-digit addition, subtraction, and multiplication.  We learned algebraic thinking vocabulary and applied this knowledge to solving problems with variables and unknowns. In addition, we start class with a challenging problem involving multi-digit multiplication or division, or a game to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

 

  • Reading: Students formed realty companies, analyzed their client profiles, and used inferences to create a wants and needs list.  Based on this list, students completed their Quick Facts research for their clients, and are now finding other relevant data for their clients.  The students have also transformed the data into persuasive statements on a graphic organizer, in preparation for creating a final product to present to the client.

 

Single Subject Acceleration:

Click here to read about Single Subject Acceleration.  This link includes test request dates and testing dates, as well as important information about the test request process.

Mrs. Joyce will be hosting a virtual meeting to present information about Single Subject Acceleration on Tuesday, March 5 at 8:30am.

 

 

Science Fair Reminders

You have until Monday February 19th to register to participate in this year's annual White Oak Science Fair. If your child prefers a group project, it's your responsibility to assist them in gathering the necessary information for the form, such as other parents' emails, kids' names, and teacher's names. Remember, permission from the other students and parents is a MUST for forming a group. Let the scientific exploration begin!  

Go to our website for more information and to register! Contact Mrs. Overton, if you have any questions, either through Talking Points or email at soverton@wcpss.net.

 

 


PTA News/Updates

 

pta

 

 

Red Robin Spirit Night Raffle Winners

Thank you to all the families who braved the cold, windy evening to support our spirit night! And congratulations to the winners of our raffles!

  • Teacher winner: Ms. Frasz
  • Student winners: Ning Shi in Ms. Anderson's, Lucas Peterson in Ms. Mellin's, Urwah Uzair in Ms. Hansen's, and Harris Clare in Ms. Roberts'. 

Please attend our next spirit night for your chance to win! 

 

Gift Cards for Teachers!

Please sign up to send $5 gift cards to our White Oak teachers and staff for Valentine's Day! Please see the link for details and participate by Tuesday, February 13th! 

 

Save the Date:

  • Friday, 3/8 - 4th grade Parent/Child Breakfast

  • Friday, 4/19 - Spring Carnival

 

 


Spring Pictures - Friday, March 8

 

Class & Individual Pictures

Pictures will be taken of all classes.

The Spring Individual program is a speculative program. Each student present will receive a package to view the image. Families will have the option to purchase the whole package, purchase sheet(s) and return the remaining sheets to the school or return the whole package. 

 

 


Afterschool Clubs

 

TGA - Spring Session

New session available! Tennis will continue to be divided up into K-2 students on Tuesdays and 3-5 students on Thursdays. Please check out these flyers for dates & registration information. 

 

Snapology Club

Snapology of Raleigh is back for winter/spring sessions. The club will take place on Wednesdays from 3:45-5:00. Classes are limited to 25 spaces. 

  • Min Figure Mania - February 21 - April 3
  • Snapology Movie Favorites - April 17 - May 15

Click here for more information and to register.

 

 


Classroom Updates

 

Please make sure you check your child's class newsletter sent each week on Friday: 

Kindergarten

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

 

 

 

Upcoming Dates

 

WCPSS Calendar

 

Monday, February 12

100th Day of School

Monday, February 19

NO SCHOOL

President's Day

Tuesday, February 20

NO SCHOOL

Teacher Workday

Friday, March 1

Q3 Interim Reports

Tuesday, March 5

NO SCHOOL

Teacher Workday

Friday, March 8

PTA 4th Grade Parent/Child Breakfast

Spring Pictures

Monday, March 11

NO SCHOOL

Teacher Workday

Thursday, March 14

Science Fair, 3rd Grade Concert, 5th Grade Unity Raps

March 18 - 22

College & Career Week

March 25 - 29

NO SCHOOL

Spring Break

 

 

 

 

THANK YOU for all of your support! 

 

Robin Swaim, Principal

Kevin Boynton, Assistant Principal 

& all the Explorer Staff 

 

Follow Us!

www.wcpss.net/whiteoakes

919-694-0202

Facebook: @WhiteOakES

Twitter: @WhiteOakElem

 
 

2023-2024 White Oak Elementary PTA Corporate Sponsors

 

aura Aura Skin & Laser
bottle Bottle Theory
bright Bright Ideas Realty

Carolina

triangle

Carolina OrthodonticsandTriangle Family Dentistry
lune
Lune Spark
mirchi Mirchi's Restaurant
Open Arts Open Arts
parkside Parkside Eye Care
sarika Sarika CPA LLC
starpath Starpath Dance